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Family Therapists

Who we are

Family and systemic psychotherapists, also known as Family Therapists, are based within locality teams and specialist services in CAMHS in CCHP and work alongside multi-disciplinary colleagues with children and young people who are referred with serious emotional and behavioural or mental health difficulties.

What we do

Research has shown that Family Therapy is useful for children, young people and adults experiencing a wide range of difficulties and circumstances as well as problems in their important relationships.

It enables family members, couples and others who care about each other to understand each other’s experiences, views and needs and to build on strengths and make useful changes in their relationships and their lives.

Family and systemic psychotherapists acknowledge the importance of people’s different beliefs, cultures and life experiences. They recognise that people in close relationships can all be affected by difficulties an individual faces and family therapy can be a method for increasing and enabling support for each other and providing a more effective treatment. Individuals can also find Family Therapy helpful, as an opportunity to reflect on important relationships and find ways forward.

There are some animations and messages of hope from families who have been to family therapy in similar services in the UK on the website for the Association of Family Therapy under the section entitled ‘Considering Therapy’ - www.aft.org.uk/consider/view/messages-of-hope

How you get to see us

Family and Systemic Psychotherapists are members of multi-disciplinary teams in CAMHS. Family therapists may be one of these professionals who meet with the child or young person and their carers when they come to their initial appointment or subsequently at a later point in the young person’s treatment.

Sometimes a family therapist will work as a single clinician with an individual, or some or all of the members of a family group, social or professional network. At other times they may invite family members to meet in a family therapy clinic with other professional colleagues, to all work together with the family using a team approach. Who should attend each appointment is discussed and agreed with the young person and family members, and this can vary over the course of the treatment. Family Therapists also work with wider family and professional networks in order to support therapeutic interventions with a young person.

Where you will be seen

Most appointments take place at the CAMHS clinic in the locality where the young person lives, or in the main base of the specialist service. However meetings may be held elsewhere where this is indicated.